Athens News Agency: News in English, 08-11-11

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] PASOK leader meets heads of banks

[01] PASOK leader meets heads of banks

Emerging from the two-hour meeting, Vgenopoulos said his talks with PASOK's president had not touched on an outstanding lawsuit for slander that he brought against Papandreou earlier in the year, when asked whether he had withdrawn his lawsuit.

"No such issue was raised. Papandreou invited me to hear my views at this crucial period. This required, given the many problems that exist, that it be discussed in such a way so that the main opposition leader could learn of my positions. No other issue was discussed," Vgenopoulos said.

The head of Marfin Bank said that his bank would not participate in the programme announced by the government but refused to comment on the positions expressed by PASOK either.

The slander suit concerned statements made by Papandreou about Vgenopoulos and Marfin Investment Group (MIG) in connection with the further privatisation of Greece's main telecoms provider Hellenic Telecommunications Organisation (OTE) to German-based Deutsche Telekom.

PASOK spokesman

PASOK party spokesman George Papaconstantinou termed, later in the day, the round of consultations with social partners party leader George Papandreou began on Monday, as "extremely productive".

According to Papaconstantinou, the PASOK leader wished to listen to the views of the heads of the banks on the economic crisis and to be briefed on the state of their banks, while also wanting their views on the government bill to support the monetary system and on PASOK's proposals.

Papandreou also called on the banks to exhaust all ground to enable liquidity to pass to the real economy.

Papaconstantinou also said that Papandreou raised with the bankers the issue of the refinancing of loans with the prolongation of their paying off time, the freezing of loans until the end of 2009, the abolition of abusive terms for cards and loans and the issue of high interest rates for cards and loans.

Papaconstantinou said that everything possible must be done to protect the Greek family and the Greek business.

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